Flashlamp holder

ABSTRACT

A flashlamp holder for a plurality of flashlamps arranged in two series, with circuits and couplings for sequentially igniting the lamps in one series prior to igniting the lamps of the second series. Two separate couplings permit ignition of each series of flashlamps separately.

United States Patent Inventors Appl. No.

Filed Patented Assignee Priority Charles Cornelis Edward Meulemans; Comelis Prijn, both of Emmasingel, Eindhoven, Netherlands Apr. 3, 1969 Nov. 9, 1971 U. S. Philips Corporation New York, N.Y.

Apr. 4, 1968 Netherlands FLASHLAMP HOLDER 7 Claims, 11 Drawing Figs.

U.S.Cl

' 1m. Cl

[50] Field of Search 240/].3, 37.1;95/1 l l; 431/92, 93,94, 95

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,263,457 8/1966 Reiber 431/95 3,267,272 8/1966 Fischer 240/13 3,454,755 7/ I 969 Wick et al 240/ l .3 FOREIGN PATENTS 6,616,822 2/1967 Netherlands 240/13 Primary Examiner-Samuel S. Matthews Assistant ExaminerFred L. Braun AltorneyFrank R. Trifari ABSTRACT: A flashlamp holder for a plurality of flashlamps arranged in two series, with circuits and couplings for sequentially igniting the lamps in one series prior to igniting the lamps of the second series. Two separate couplings pennit ignition of each series of flashlamps separately.

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INVENTORS CHARLES c. E. MEULEMANS BY CORNELIS PRIJN M KW AGEN

FLASIILAMP HOLDER The invention relates to a stepwise rotatable flashlamp unit which can be coupled to a camera and has a supporting device for a number of flashlight lamps grouped around the axis of rotation of the unit to be successively flashed. Reflector systems are arranged in the vicinity of these lamps, the supporting device is provided with means for coupling the unit to the camera, and the external current supply members for the lamps provided in the unit are arranged in the vicinity of the coupling means. Such a flashlamp unit is known and may be used in combination with a camera of the kind such that the relevant unit is automatically rotated through an angle of 90, for example, by operation of the shutter mechanism so that a subsequent lamp assumes the position of flashing. The known flashlamp unit is provided with four flashlamps and is thrown away as an unusable unit after use of the lamps.

Starting from the known flashlamp unit, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new unit in which more than 4 flashlamps can be included, while yet a camera can be used in which the flashlight unit is rotated in each case through an angle of 90.

To this end the flashlamp unit according to the invention is characterized in that the flashlamps are grouped in a few series to be successively flashed, a corresponding lamp of a subsequent series being provided near a lamp of a first series, and that furthermore the means for coupling the unit to the camera and the external current supply members for the lamps are formed and arranged relative to one another in such a manner that after use of a series of lamps the unit can be secured to the camera in a coupling position which is suitable for flashing a subsequent series. A unit of this kind has, for example, 8 flashlamps which are arranged in two series of four lamps each. After use of the first series of lamps the unit is decoupled from the camera and can be recoupled to it by means of suitably chosen coupling means in accordance with a position which is suitable for the subsequent series, whereafter the lamps of the second series are flashed. Starting from the inventive idea described above it is possible to choose from a few principal embodiments to be referred to hereinafter for achieving the conditions which must be met by the securing means of the unit on the camera and the location of the external current supply members for the lamps.

In a first principal embodiment the longitudinal directions of all lamps are parallel to one another and the supporting device for the lamps has two platelike parts located at opposing ends of the unit, the coupling means being formed by coupling members protruding from each plate part to the exterior. Thus in this case use is made of a flashlamp unit having two plate parts each including their own coupling means. After use of a first series of lamps the unit is removed from the camera. Turned by 180 and resecured to the camera with the aid of the coupling means at the other plate part for the purpose of successive flashing of a subsequent series of flashlamps.

The tops of the two series of lamps may in principle face one another, the longitudinal directions of every two lamps being in alignment with each other. When using the convention flashlamps this, however, rather quickly gives rise to units the dimensions of which as viewed in the axis of rotation are rather large. Therefore these units are mainly interesting for proportionally very short flashlamps. However, the longitudinal directions of the lamps of the two series may also be parallel to one another such that the longitudinal dimensions of the lamps of the first series are completely or substantially oriented between the lamps of a subsequent series. Thus the tops of adjacent lamps point in opposite directions. This arrangement is particularly advantageous when using proportionally slender" and hence rather long, thin lamps. In spite of, for example, doubling the number of lamps, the external dimensions of the conventional units which include only four lamps may he maintained in that case.

In a second principal embodiment of the unit according to the invention the supporting device includes at least one plate part to which a few series of lamps are secured the longitudinal directions of which are parallel and which lamps project to one side, the lamps of a first series being located between the lamps of a subsequent series, and a coupling member of composite structure being provided on the other side of the plate part. This coupling member may be formed as a few coupling pieces located one after the other as viewed along the axis of rotation of the unit, one coupling piece for each series of lamps, the coupling piece which is most remote from the plate part being adapted to be broken off. If desired, a coupling member of a different structure may also be used which has a single couple piece which is rotatable about the axis of rotation of the unit and relative thereto through an angle which is equal to the peripheral angle between two adjacent lamps, it being possible to lock said member in the two extreme angular positions relative to the plate part. In either cases the position of a portion of the composite coupling means must be changed after using a fist series of lamps before the flashlamp unit can again be secured to the camera for the purpose of successive flashing of a subsequent series of lamps.

As already noted in the foregoing the invention is particularly applicable when use is made of flashlamps which have a particularly slender shape, and of which the internal volume of the envelope is 0.5 cm. at a maximum and the internal pressure is at least 10 kg. per cm the ratio between the internal longitudinal dimension and the internal diameter in said lamps being at least 3.5: I.

In order that the invention may be readily carried into effect a few embodiments thereof will now be described in detail by way of example with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side-view of the flashlamp unit according to the invention in a first principal embodiment,

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the unit of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section of this unit taken along line III--III of FIG. 4,

FIG. 4 is a section taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 shows in an elevational view the angular positions of the star-shaped coupling members in relatively rotated positions of either side of the unit of FIG. 1,

FIG. 6 shows a similar flashlamp unit as in FIG. 1,

FIG. 7 is the plan view of the flashlamp unit in a second principal embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a section taken along line VlIl-VIII of FIG. 7, and

FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 show modifications of the composite coupling means of FIGS. 7 and 8.

FIGS. 1 to 5 show a first principal embodiment of the flashlamp unit according to the invention. This unit includes a number of oblong flashlamps in which a pressure of approximately 20 kg. per cm. prevails. In these splendor lamps the ratio between the internal longitudinal dimension and the internal diameter is 7:1. The internal volume of the lamp is approximately 0.3 cm. The longitudinal directions of these lamps are parallel to one another and secured to the current conductors emerging from the lamps to plate parts 3 and 5 of synthetic plastics material which are spaced by a transparent jacket 1 of a synthetic plastics material which may have a blue color, if desired. In this unit each lamp is provided with an associated reflector 7. The plate part 5 supports a first series of lamps ll, l3, l5 and I7, while the other plate part 3 supports a second series of lamps l9, 2], 23 and 25. The tops of the juxtaposed lamps thus point alternately upwards the downwards. The two platelike parts 3 and 5 are provided with collars 29 and 31, respectively, the current supply members 30, 32 protruding pairwise from each lamp and being bent around said collars. Furthermore each plate part has two coupling members 33 and 35 which may separately cooperate in conventional manner with suitable means which are located on a camera suitable for this type unit. To this end each star-shaped coupling member has four aligning cams (FIG. 2). As is shown in FIG. 5 the aligning cams of the star-shaped coupling members 33 and '35 are oriented in different manner. The left-hand part of this FIG. shows a few aligning earns 20. 22, 24 which are associated with the plate part 5, while the right-hand part of this FIG. shows a few aligning earns 26, 28 of the plate part 3. The cam patterns coupling means which correspond to the first and second series respectively, for the two plate parts 3 and 5 are thus mutually rotated by 45.

When using the flashlamp unit according to FIGS. 1 to 5, the unit is first secured to a camera by means of the coupling member 35 whereafter the lamps 11, 13, 15, 17 can successively by flashed by rotating the coupling member 35 each time through an angle of 90. When these have been used the unit is decoupled and resecured to the camera through the coupling member 33. Due to the cam patterns being shifted through 45 the lamps 19, 21, 23, 25 may be flashed successively. Thereafter the unit as such is unusable and may be thrown away.

FIG. 6 shows an embodiment in which each plate part also supports only one series of lamps, the tops 40 of which face one another while being separated by a wall section 38 which is shown diagrammatically. This embodiment is particularly suitable for lamps which are proportionally short. The coupling members 42 and 44 again have four aligning cams each (as in FIG. 2) and in this case do not occupy positions which are relatively shifted through 45.

FIGS. 7 to show a second principal embodiment of the flashlamp unit according to the invention. The same type of lamps as described with reference to'FIGS. 1 to 5 is used. In this flashlight unit a plate base portion is used which forms a supporting device for two series of lamps 41, 45, 49, 53 and 43, 47, 51, 55, the tops of which are all remote from the base portion. The base portion composed of parts 37 and 39 is formed in such a manner that the current supply members 57 emerging from the lamps may protrude through suitable apertures to the exterior, which current supply members are bent back around a collar 59 and at their ends are accommodated in recesses 58. The reflectors for the lamps are formed from a single strip 61 of a synthetic plastics material which is provided with a highly reflecting layer. The base portion further forms a support for a protective transparent cover 63 which may be formed from a blue colored mass in which case the lamps themselves need not be provided with a blue lacquer layer. When using the previously mentioned slender lamps it may be useful to form a few locations 60 for the tops of the lamps in the base of the cover; as a result the lamps are not only positioned accurately at their base portions but also at their top portions relative to the associated reflector 61. In this embodiment also the base portion has again a coupling member provided with four aligning cams which member is indicated by 65 and by means of which the unit can be coupled to a suitable camera therefor. The circular flange 75 of this coupling member 65 is rotatable through an angle of 45 in a chamber 67 of the base portion 37. The coupling member 65 has a slot 71 in which a part 75 is slidable under the action of compression spring 73. The previously mentioned chamber 67 is for the greater pan circular cylindrical and has flat portions 77, 78 and 80. The star-shaped coupling member, with the part 73 pointing towards the position indicated by 79 can now be rotated through the flat wall portion 77 of the chamber 67 relative to the base portion 37 constraining it to move against spring force. The locking positions indicated by 79 and 80 are chosen to be such that the relevant rotation is exactly 45. When the unit with the part 73 pointing to the locking position 79 is coupled to the previously mentioned camera, the lamps 41, 45, 49 and 53 of the first series can successively be flashed upon rotation of the entire unit each time through 90. After use of these lamps the unit is decoupled and the relevant coupling member 65 is rotated through an angle of 45 relative to the base portion 37. The unit can then again be coupled to the camera by means of the coupling member 65 and a subsequent series of lamps 43, 47, 51 and 55 can be flashed.

A modification of the composite coupling part is shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. The base portion 83 of the unit shown in these FIGS. has a chamber 85 in which a coupling member 87 of slightly different form is arranged. The member 87 which again has the four usual aligning cams 89 has a sleeve 91 and collars 93 and 95 between which a compression spring 97 is enclosed. The collar 95 may be provided as a separate part or may be formed by deforming, for example, the end of the sleeve only after providing the spring 97. Furthermore the surface of the collar 93 facing the part 83 has to radial ribs 98 and 99 which enclose an angle of 45 with the axis of rotation of the sleeve 91 and the surface of the chamber facing said ribs is provided with a radially extending slot accommodating one of the ribs 98 and 99. The coupling member 87 can then be rotated through an angle of 45 relative to the part 83 by pulling the sleeve 89 slightly from the chamber 67 against the action of the compression spring 95 and by rotating the coupling member 87 through an angle of 45 until the other of the two ribs 98 and 99 engages the previously mentioned slot.

A modification of the composite coupling member is further shown in FIG. 11, in which use is made of a unilateral protruding coupling member which support two coupling members 101 and 103 located one after the other axially in the axis of rotation of the unit, and in which the patterns of the aligning cams are again shifted 45 relative to each other in conformity with the arrangement of FIG. 5. When using this unit the coupling member 101 is removed after using a first series of lamps, whereafter the unit can again be coupled to the camera by means of the other coupling member 103.

It will be evident that particularly when using the previously mentioned slender lamps it is possible to obtain units in which, for example, two series of lamps of four lamps each are used for each plate part; in this manner the throwaway unit has 16 lamps.

In the foregoing the design and the location of the reflectors has not been dealt with extensively, since these in themselves are little related to the present invention. These reflectors may be manufactured of a reflecting metal sheet or of a synthetic plastics material provided with a reflecting layer. When using units which have only one plate part, it is even possible to form the base-plate together with the reflector from a single mass into a single block which is provided with a reflecting layer at the desired areas, the lamps subsequently provided in a separate operation.

In a flashlamp unit according to the invention a central space may in principle remain between the reflector to be able to accommodate, for example, plurality of batteries.

We claim:

1. A flashlamp holder device for use with a plurality of flashlamps, a camera and a current source, comprising a base having first and second sides, means for securing to the first side of the base of plurality of flashlamps spatially arranged in first and second series, a casing enclosing the lamps, means for electrically connecting the lamps with the current source, and separate first and second coupling means on the second side of the base for rotatably engaging the device to the camera, the first and second coupling means corresponding to the first and second series respectively, for sequentially indexing the base by a partial rotation thereof for igniting each lamp, and thus electrically connecting the lamps of one series to the source for sequential ignition of these lamps prior to ignition of the lamps of the other series, the device having a central longitudinal axis generally normal to the plane of the base, and the first and second coupling means being spaced along said axis, with the second coupling means adjacent the base and the first means remote from the base.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein initially only the first coupling means is accessible for engagement to the camera and igniting the first series of lamps, the first coupling means being breakable after igniting the first series, permitting use of the second coupling means for igniting the second series of lamps.

3 Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the first coupling means is smaller in diameter than second coupling means.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein eight lamps are secured to the base at 45 intervals, the coupling means are 45 apart, and each partial rotation of the base is 5. A fiashlamp holder device for use with a plurality of flashlamps, a camera and a current source, comprising a base having first and second sides, means for securing to the first side of the base a plurality of flashlamps spatially arranged in first and second series, a casing enclosing the lamps, means for electrically connecting the lamps with the current source, and separate first coupling means on the second side of the base and spaced therefrom, and second coupling means between the base and the first means, the device being rotatably engaged to the camera via said first and second coupling means which correspond to the first and second series respectively, for sequentially indexing the base by a partial rotation thereof for igniting each lamp, and sequentially, electrically connecting the lamps of one series to the source for ignition of these lamps prior to ignition of lamps of the other series, wherein initially only the first means is accessible for engagement to the camera and firing the first series of lamps, and subsequently the first means is alterable to render the second means accessible.

6. A device according to claim 5 wherein said lamps secured thereto each have a maximum internal volume of0.5 cm. and a minimum pressure of kg. cm and the ratio between internal length and diameter is at least 3.5/ l.

7. A fiashlamp holder device for use with a plurality of flashlamps, a camera and a current source, comprising a base having first and second sides, means for securing to the first side of the base a plurality of fiashlamps spatially arranged in first and second series, a casing enclosing the lamps, means for electrically connecting the lamps with the current source, and separate first coupling means on the second side of the base and spaced therefrom, and second coupling means between the base and the first means, the device being rotatably engaged to the camera via said first and second coupling means which correspond to the first and second series respectively, for sequentially indexing the base by a partial rotation thereof for igniting each lamp, and sequentially, electrically connecting the lamps of one series to the source for ignition of these lamps prior to ignition of lamps of the other series wherein initially only the first means is accessible for engagement to the camera and firing the first series of lamps, and subsequently the first means is breakable and removable to render the second means accessible. 

1. A flashlamp holder device for use with a plurality of flashlamps, a camera and a current source, comprising a base having first and second sides, means for securing to the first side of the base of plurality of flashlamps spatially arranged in first and second series, a casing enclosing the lamps, means for electrically connecting the lamps with the current source, and separate first and second coupling means on the second side of the base for rotatably engaging the device to the camera, the first and second coupling means corresponding to the first and second series respectively, for sequentially indexing the base by a partial rotation thereof for igniting each lamp, and thus electrically connecting the lamps of one series to the source for sequential ignition of these lamps prior to ignition of the lamps of the other series, the device having a central longitudinal axis generally normal to the plane of the base, and the first and second coupling means being spaced along said axis, with the second coupling means adjacent the base and the first means remote from the base.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein initially only the first coupling means is accessible for engagement to the camera and igniting the first series of lamps, the first coupling means being breakable after igniting the first series, permitting use of the second coupling means for igniting the second series of lamps.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the first coupling means is smaller in diameter than second coupling means.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein eight lamps are secured to the base at 45* intervals, the coupling means are 45* apart, and each partial rotation of the base is 90*.
 5. A flashlamp holder device for use with a plurality of flashlamps, a camera and a current source, comprising a base having first and second sides, means for securing to the first side of the base a plurality of flashlamps spatially arranged in first and second series, a casing enclosing the lamps, means for electrically connecting the lamps with the current source, and separate first coupling means on the second side of the base and spaced therefrom, and second coupling means between the base and the first means, the device being rotatably engaged to the camera via said first and second coupling means which correspond to the first and second series respectively, for sequentially indexing the base by a partial rotation thereof for igniting each lamp, and sequentially, electrically connecting the lamps of one series to the source for ignition of these lamps prior to ignition of lamps of the other series, wherein initially only the first means is accessible for engagement to the camera and firing the first series of lamps, and subsequently the first means is alterable to render the second means accessible.
 6. A device according to claim 5 wherein said lamps secured thereto each have a maximum internal volume of 0.5 cm.3 and a minimum pressure of 10 kg. cm.2, and the ratio between internal length and diameter is at least 3.5/1.
 7. A flashlamp holder device for use with a plurality of flashlamps, a camera and a current source, comprising a base having first and second sides, means for securing to the first side of the base a plurality of flashlamps spatially arranged in first and second series, a casing enclosing the lamps, means for electrically connecting the lamps with the current source, and separate first coupling means on thE second side of the base and spaced therefrom, and second coupling means between the base and the first means, the device being rotatably engaged to the camera via said first and second coupling means which correspond to the first and second series respectively, for sequentially indexing the base by a partial rotation thereof for igniting each lamp, and sequentially, electrically connecting the lamps of one series to the source for ignition of these lamps prior to ignition of lamps of the other series wherein initially only the first means is accessible for engagement to the camera and firing the first series of lamps, and subsequently the first means is breakable and removable to render the second means accessible. 